The Cook County Forest Preserve system is a local treasure. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen talks to Cook Co. Commissioner Larry Suffredin about the future of the county forest preserve, gets an update on local street vendors, and talks to Hillel Frankel of the trailblazing Chicago Ska band Heavy Manners. And in the OTL Wrap Party, Mike and Producer Collin discuss tax increases and ska music. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

This week we learn how COVID-19 impacts local reentry facilities. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen learns how COVID-19 is impact local prison reentry facilities with freelance journalist Michael Murney, pays tribute to gymnast Dianne Durham by featuring his interview with her from 2006, and learns the Secret History of Chicago-born musician Jim Holvay. And in the OTL Wrap Party, Mike and Producer Collin get ready for their 4th of July celebrations. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Bars and restaurants are coming back! (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen gets an update about the local hospitality industry’s rebound with the scribe behind the Chicago Bars Twitter feed, learns the story of biking to a Waffle House in Indiana from Chicago Reader columnist and Streetsblog Chicago editor John Greenfield, and discovers the Secret History of local rocker Ron Haydock. And in the OTL Wrap Party, Mike and Producer Collin recap the show and discuss how more of us should be sitting at the bar. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.

Looking up at the Tribune Tower and pondering the future of media diversity. (Photo credit: Mike Stephen/WGN Radio)

Mike Stephen chats about diversity in local journalism with Brandon Pope, the new president of the Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, learns about a new bill that strengthens civics education for incarcerated youth from Ami Gandhi, senior counsel at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and gets the lowdown on Tautologic‘s new album from singer & keyboardist Ethan Sellers. And in the OTL Wrap Party, Mike and Producer Collin recap the show and discuss the importance of mentorship and rickshaws. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.